I.

Observation 1:
Setting

I.

Grade:
Kindergarten

II.

Students:
10 Boys
6 Girls

III.

Setting:
Lamonte Elementary School
Kindergarten Classroom
16 Students, 1 Teacher, 1 Student Teacher

IV.

Pre-Observation:
The purpose of this observation was to determine if the setting of the classroom is
beneficial to the childrens intellectual, social, emotional and physical development. In
order to complete the observation, I chose a kindergarten classroom at Lamonte
Elementary School with children ages five to six. I took two days to observe the
classroom setting. I observed once during the morning and once during the afternoon.
During my previous visits to the classroom, I have become familiar with the classroom
environment. Prior to observing the classroom setting, I became familiar with guidelines
set by the New Jersey Positive Behavior Support in Schools (NJPBSIS). I used guidelines
set by NJPBSIS to properly observe the classroom setting and environment.

V.

Data:
The classroom environment in this Kindergarten classroom at Lamonte Elementary
school is a positive one that supports the development of the students. The children are
limited on the space in which they can run. The only open area in the classroom is the
main learning carpet. On this carpet, the students hold their morning meeting, morning
routine, read and where they usually are given directions for activities that happen at their
seats. When you first walk into the classroom the first thing you see is the computer and
iPad area. Then you see the students tables. The tables are equipped with the students
crayons, pencils scissors and glue. Then you see the large open learning carpet that is
surrounded by books and learning materials. The Smart board is located at this carpet, as
well as an easel the teacher uses during the morning routine and other lessons. This great
open carpet provides a supportive place for the students to engage in learning. In the back
corner of the classroom is where the students play area is located. It is a small cramped
area. Although only four students are permitted in this play area at a time, it still makes it
difficult for the students to entirely utilize the space. Overall, the classroom setting and
environment is one that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in
learning and self motivation.

Morning Routine Wall

Various Book Shelves

Entrance

Smart Board

Easel 1
Main Carpet
S
i
n
k

Table 5

Computers

Supply Shelves

Easel
2

C
l
o
s
e
t

Ipads
Table 3
Table 1
Table 4

Table 2
Miscellaneous Table

Art/ ELA Station Shelf

Math/Desk
Science
Teachers
Bookshelf
Play Carpet
Dramatic Play Area

VI.

Analysis:
During my observation I saw that the setting did contribute towards the students
development. Through the myriad of book shelves, station shelves and the main learning
carpet the students are able to take advantage of the learning opportunities around the
classroom. During the morning the students engage in learning on the main carpet area.
Here is where the students spend most of their time, whether they are engaging in the
morning routine, an ELA lesson or reading, they spend a large chunk of their day at this
carpet. The carpet is the focal point for academic learning in the classroom. Throughout
their time on the carpet, the students maintain concentration and engage in the lesson lead
by the teacher. Everyday the students engage in centers at their tables. The centers are
reading, writing, math, art and the exploration station. The students engage in each center
on a different day during the week. The supplies for these centers are located on different
supply shelves around the classroom. After the morning routine and morning ELA lesson,
the students are transitioned to centers. The teacher does an excellent job of maintaining
the concentration during the transition from the carpet back to the students seats. During
the morning the students engage in academic learning. After they come back from lunch,
the teacher continues with a math lesson before the students move on to stations where
they can engage in play. The students eagerly chose stations using their clips. Each
station is labeled with a sign and is numbered one through four, to indicated that no more
than four students should be at one station at a time. The students eagerly went to the
computer, iPad and kitchen stations. They did not engage in the stations that the teacher
has organized on the shelves. I feel this is because the items are not so out in the open,
they are tucked away on shelves and the students do not think to play with them. Overall,
the stations for play are well equipped with supplies for the students to explore and
interact with. The main issue I see in the classroom setup is the kitchen play area that is
tucked away in the corner of the classroom. Observing the students in this play area, I
saw them getting in each others way and having to step over each other because there is
not much room here. The classroom is set up to cater the students academic needs, but
not so much for their play needs. Overall, the environment is one that encourages positive
development academically but does not meet all the needs for the students desire to
explore and play. I do see room for improvement and have come up with some
recommendations.

VII.

Recommendations:
During my observation, I saw some room for improvement in the set up of the classroom.
The classroom is set up to benefit the students intellectual development. It caters to their
academic needs which does also benefit their social and emotional development, but by
rearranging the classroom, all of the students needs will be met. Currently the classroom
feels unbalanced between the areas for academic learning and play based learning. It is
better for a classroom to have a balance between the two, Beliefs about how children
learn and the environment in which they work should complement one another. The
physical design of a developmentally appropriate classroom allows for experiences in
areas for reading, writing, listening, dramatic play, art, numeracy, block, science,
technology and an area for large group meetings. Ensuring a balance amongst these
various learning areas is an important component in the organization and planning of the
physical space in a kindergarten classroom (NLC, 2014). Currently, the students room

for play is inadequate. Play is an important part of the classroom environment. According
to Miami University, Play is the tool that children use to learn about the world and
society. Through play, their social and cognitive needs can be met and developed. Play is
the way that children interact with this world and create experiences to understand
society and human interaction (2014). I recommend that in order for the students to get
the most out of their play based learning, their area for play is expanded upon. I feel that
providing a larger carpet area for the students to role-play and interact with one another
will benefit their social and emotional development. Another recommendation I have is
that the shelves that hold the supplies for centers should be replaced with deeper shelves.
Currently there are several small, skinny shelves in the classroom. By replacing them
with deeper shelves, baskets can be used to organize the materials for each station. By
having a basket that holds the supplies for a station, the student can simply take the
basket with the supplies and bring it to their table or the carpet and use them with ease.
Baskets with labels can encourage the students to use the supplies and it also makes clean
up a lot easier. Overall, the classroom environment is positive and encourages student
learning. I have rearranged the classroom below:
Entr
anc
e

Morning Routine Wall

Smart Board
Dramatic Play Area

Mailboxes

Main Carpet

Easel 2
Sin
k

Easel 1

Play Carpet

closet

Various Book Shelves

Teachers Desk

Ipads

Miscellaneous Table
Computers

Table 5

Table 4

Table 3

Table 2

Table 1

Rearranging the room to accommodate a larger play based learning space and by bringing

in larger, deeper shelves to make it easier for students to utilize supplies for stations, the
classroom environment becomes ideal for the students intellectual, social, emotional and
physical development. Balancing the classroom by keeping the play area off to the left
side of the room and the academic learning areas throughout the rest, the students will be
able to get the most out of their classroom. They have enough room to engage in dramatic
play, use iPad and learn academically. Overall, I feel the current classroom setting makes
the environment one that provides opportunities for students to develop and learn, there
are some things that can be changed to provide further benefits to the students learning.
VIII.

IX.

Post-Observation:
For this observation I observed at
Lamonte
Supply/ Station Shelves morning on
Station
Elementary School
for three hours in the
Tuesday October Bookshelf
24th and for three hours
in the afternoon
on Tuesday November, 1st. During my observations I recorded the layout of the classroom
and how it contributed towards the
Supply/ Station Shelves students development
and learning. By following
guidelines set by
NJPBSIS, I was able to observe how important the classroom setting is to the students
development and growth. I saw ways that the setting benefitted the students and I also
saw ways that the students development could be benefitted further.
Citations:
Newfound Labrador Canada. (2016). Education and Early Childhood Development.
Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/

NJPBSIS. (2016). Classroom Environment Resources. Retrieved from

http://www.njpbs.org/Other/classrom_env_management.html

Pearson, C. (2014). Importance of Play in the Early Childhood Classroom. Retrieved

from http://performancepyramid.miamioh.edu/node/1119

Entr
anc
e

Morning Routine Wall

Smart Board
Dramatic Play Area

Main Carpet

Easel 2
Sin
k

Easel 1

Play Carpet

Mailboxes
closet

Various Book Shelves

Teachers Desk

Ipads

Stations
Bookshelf
Miscellaneous Table

Computers

Table 5

Table 4

Table 3

Table 2

Table 1